Pic: Thandiswa MazwaiA highlight of the African Renaissance Festival is the ever popular Africa Day Concert featuring a star-studded line-up of Thandiswa Mazwai, Oliver Mtukudzi (better known as “Tuku”), and Ray Phiri with Stimela at the ICC Arena on May 25.
Thandiswa Mazwai, hailed as this generation’s “Mama Africa” (Miriam Makeba), is widely known as lead singer of the popular kwaito group Bongo Maffin. She released her solo album Zabalaza in 2004 and was signed with an American label later that same year. Her solo work is a genre-bending marriage of traditional Xhosa chants and instruments with modern kwaito, gospel and jazz sounds, and has earned her numerous awards, including Best African Contemporary Album and Best Female Artist.
Oliver Mtukudzi, better known as “Tuku” is a best-selling artist in his home country, Zimbabwe, and his musical career spans over 20 years and 40 original albums. He is heavily influenced by chimurenga, the genre pioneered by Mapfumo and inspired by the hypnotic rhythms of the mbira (thumb piano), as well as pop influences, South African mbaqanga, the energetic Zimbabwean pop style JIT, and the traditional kateke drumming of the Korekore. Described as one of the greatest soulful voices of African Music, Tuku’s enduring popularity is largely a result of his powerful lyrics, which invariably deal with social and economic issues, and which are injected with an infectious sense of humour and optimism.
Ray Phiri founded Stimela, with whom he conceived gold and platinum winning albums such as Fire, Passion and Ecstasy, Look, Listen and Decide as well as the controversial People Don’t Talk, So Let’s Talk. He was approached by American singer and musician, Paul Simon, in the late 1990’s to join his Graceland project along with Ladysmith Black Mambazo. Ray collaborated again with Paul Simon on Simon’s Rhythm of the Saints album, which saw him perform on stages in Central Park and Madison Square Gardens, as well as appearing on top US television shows. Subsequently Ray released a solo album and his music is a mixture of African jazz, fusion and mbaqanga.
The concert takes place on May 25 at 18h00 at the ICC Arena. Tickets are open to the public and ticket prices have been kept low to ensure as many fans as possible can enjoy the feast of music. Tickets are an affordable R50 throughout (no concessions), and are available through Computicket.
For more information about the full African Renaissance programme, contact reception@wozani.co.za or telephone 031-266 9792.
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